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No. 16. -Vol. 111.
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WVVVWb
.lomriru nm- xmo r Hffj K.
AUGUSTA, J. & H. Ely.
COLUMBIA, J.By nom,Esq.PM.ColumbiaC.il.
GREENESBOROUGH, A. IT. Scott.
SPARTA, Cyprian Wilcox.
IRWINTON, Wilkinson Th. Sherrer, Esq. PM.
HARTFORD , Pulaski,GM. Gardiner Esq.PM.
POWELTON, S. Dugggf, Esq. P M.
CLINTON, Jones Cos. J. VV. Carriugton.
SAVANNAH, S. C. & J. Schenck.
EATONTON, C. Pendleton, Esq. P M.
ALFORD'S P.O. Greene, C. Alford, Esq. PM.
. ABBEVILLE, (S. C.) Rev. 11. Reid.
1 SANDOVER, Abbeville, S. C Mai. U. Hill.
MARION, Twiggs, S. Williams, Esq. PM.
JEFFERSON, Jackson, Rev. E. Pharr.
LIBERTY-HALL, Morgan , C. Allen, Esq.
WATKINSVILLE, Clark ,
H. W. Scovell, Esq. P. M.
RICEBORO', Liberty , W m . Baker, Esq.T M.
&RANTSVILLE, Greene, Samuel Finley.
PENDLETON, S.C. Joseph Grisham, Esq. PM.
DANfELSVILLE, Madison, J.Long, Esq. PM.
ERVINSVILLE, Rutherford. N. C.
Rev. Hugh Quin.
ATHENS, Clarke , B. B. Peck.
MADISON, Moruan, Milu Nesbit.
J. INCOLNTON. Lin coin. Peter Lamar, Esq. PM
SPARTANBURGH, S.C. J.Brannon,Esq. PM.
MILLEDGEVILLR, Leonard Perkins.
ELBERTON. George Inskeep, Esq. P M.
DUBLIN, Laurens , W. B. Coleman, Esq. PM.
LOUISVILLE, Jeff'n, John Bostwick,Esq.PM.
MALLORYSVILLE, Wilkes,
Asa Hearing, Esq. P M.
WAYNESBORO ’, Samuel Stnrges, Esq. PM.
LAURENS, S. C. Archibald Voung, Esq.
WRIGHTS BORO', Q. L. C. Franklin, Esq.
MO YTICELLO, Greene I). Brantley, Esa.P M.
CA ftNF.SVILLE, Henry Freeman, Esq. P. M.
SALEM, Clark, Raleigh Green, Esq. P. M.
Remarkable conversion of an Infidel.
From, the New-Haven Intelligencer.
We are well acquainted With Mr. Goldsmith,
the writer of the following narrative, which we
copy from the Con. Journal, aud are willing to
vouch for its truth. We have known him as a
•coffer of tbe religion which he now professes ;
we now know him as a friend and brother, a bold
and strenuous advocate of the truth as it is in Je
sus, confounding Infidels and revilers, by proving
Christ to be the Son of God, and exhibiting in his
life and conversation the power of Religion.
Mr. Editor.—An apology from me may
le thought necessary in order to avert the
charge of egotism, for coming before ihe
publick in a narrative of facte and -pinion*,
which relate chiefly to myself. YVheii it
is taken into consideration, that the publick
are already in soma measure acquainted
with my case ; when it is recollected like
wise, that the enemies of the truth have
taken advantage of various statements and
reports which were not literally correct,
to declare that the whole affair respecting
tny being awakened and brought to the
knowledge of the truth in an extraordinary
time and manner, was a “ base fabrication,
having no foundation in truththereby
cudeavouring to make it appear, that what
ever I have said respecting the dealings of
God with me, and Ihe exercise of my mind,
was a scandalous attempt to impose upon
the credulity of my Christian brethren and
triends, (not that they have said this in so
many words, but their statements imply all
!*<* * - - . ‘ “ “* ”
taken into consideration, I think every
candid mind will acknowledge that a suffi
cient cause exists for my coming be.fore ttie
publick, with a plain statement of facts,
relative to my feelings previous to the ev
ening of the Bth of January, 1821, the
transactions of that evening and the subse
quent exercise of my mind.
In the spring of 1820, when (he revival
of religion first commenced in New-Haven<
\ *ny mind was called up to examine the sub
ject, and see how the case stood with me.
1 had been taught to believe that the scrip
tures of the Old and New Testament were
tbe word of God ; at least so my parents
taught me; —but the natural disposition of
tny heart always led me to question the
truth of any thing which I could not com
prehend. 1 believed that reason was given
to man as a sure guide to him and that eve
ry thing was to be tried by that standard,
and that whatever after a fair investigation
appeared to be inconsistent or contradicto
ry, or was not capable of mathematical de
monstration, was of a questionable charac-
Among such things were the Holy
Scriptures, and the Religion of J esus Christ.
The scriptures after (what I called) a fair
examination, appeared so inconsistent, so
unreasonable, and a great part of them so
Unnecessary, that they could not he true,
i was confident that the God I believed
was so wise, great and good, that
never would have sanctioned such
THE MISSIONARY.
i -A
a piece of mummery as the Jewish dispen
sation appeared to he ; in fact I believed,
or rather wished and hoped, that the whole
Christian religion and its formation, was
the work of Priest-craft. It was in this sit
uation that the revival of 1820 found me ;
the effect was to create in me, in addition
to my former sceptical feelings, a bitter
hatred to the spirit which appeared to be
moving on the hearts of many of the inhab
itants of New-Haven. i therefore set
about to arm myself with all the arguments
which could be found: I searched all the
works of every infidel which 1 could find,
and my opportunity was great. I read
Hume, Voltaire, Gibbon and Paine, and
felt as if any man who would believe in the
Bible was a fool, i also read many con
troversial works of different denominations
of Christians, and heard them dispute on
their oer.uliar tenets. Some declared one
thing, and some another, totally opposite
and contrafliciory to eau. vd.„, and each,
if we would believe its advocates, was ex
clusively the doctrine of the Bible. Hop
ing, wishing and believing that all these
contradictory systems could be maintained
from the scriptures, 1 naturally supposed
that whatever rule would prove two princi
ples which were directly opposite, to be
both tme, must be a false rule. Thus, by
setting out on false premises, I came to a
wrong conclusion. In the mean time the
spirit of God began to move more power
fully than at any former period ; meetings
were very frequent, people in general look
ed very solemn, Christians assumed anew
appearance, and began to act as if there
was a work for them to do ; they began to
warn, and lo pray for sinners, and sinners
began to tremble, and in every heart where
satan ; had the prevailing influence, he
seemed determined to arouse a correspond
ing energy and to awake to new life every
evil passion. My heart was one which he
led captive at his will, and in which he
found no difficulty in awakening a feeling
like his own. I hated the Bible ; I hated
all those who believed it (if they practised
what they believed-,) I hated Christians if
they were Christ-like ; and l cannot but in
dulge my feelings for a moment, when 1
state that I have since passed some of the
happiest hours of my life in the company
of those I once hated, in thanksgiving and
praise to him who hath redeemed us and
washed us in His blood. Tbi9 was pleasure
that leit no sting behind it, and the contem
plation ofwhich will be sweet in a dying hour.
But to return to the subject:—-I used
every means in my power to bring con
tempt upon religion and those who profes
sed it. If any idle or malicious story got
into circulation, ! took great pains to spread
it; and if I found the story was an untruth
I took good care lo contradict it, endeav
ouring in every case to misrepresent the
motives and actions of those who professed
lo be Christians. I left off going to meet
ing almost entirely, and as far as was in
my power prevented my family from going.
In fine, I vented my malice in every nay
which Satan could suggest, or my wicked
heart improve. In this state of mind I re
mained without any material alteration till
the evening of the Bth of January. At
this time my family were not in town ; I
had broken up house-keeping, and hired
myself out for the winter; but had reserv
ed my evenings to myself, calculating to
spend them in dissipation and pleasure, and
impossible lo confirm myself in the infidel
principles I had adopted. On the Bth of
January it was though! proper by a number
of gentlemen to celebrate the anniversary
of the famous bailie of New-Orleans, by
having a supper and drinking a few patri
otick toasts, in honour of General Jackson,
and the brave men who gained that victory.
The thing was accordingly undertnnJ- •,
in the course *L..t any a persoD called at
the store where 1 was, aod invited the
gnmicuian wun whom 1 resided, and my
self to attend, and in the evening 1 attend
ed. A large and respectable party of gen
tlemen sat down at the table ; every thing
was conducted with decency and order,
and after easing supper and drinking a few
patriotick toasts, the principal of the assem
bly retired not far from 10 o’clock.
A few with myself remained at the table
a while longer, singing patriotick and other
songs; after some time, two or three of us
came down stairs. I sat down in the bar
room, and two or three more retired.
Soon after the remainer came down stairs,
and part went into the bar-room, and part
went into the room opposite and began to
sing: the rest soon followed them, and for
a few minutes I was left alone: shortly af
ter, however, I went into the other room
myself, and they were singing these words ;
—“ There shall be mourning at the Judgment
seat of Christ ,” “Othre’ll mourning,” Sic.
chorused by Glory to God, in imitation of
the manner of the Methodists, who used that
hymn in their religious conferences. A
moment after I came into the room, while
they were singing: the idea that there
would he a final judgment, and that there
would he mourning at the judgment seat of
Christ, and who it would be that would
mourn there, came across mv mind ; and it
was manifest to me that myself and the
others there engaged with me, would be
among the chief mourners on that awful
occasion. The feelings of my mind wore
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.— Jksus Christ.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. <3A.) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1821.
indescribable, but terrible. Directly after i
this, before 1 had said any thing, someone <
nominated me to preach a sermon; and
the observation Has made, that as there
had been singing and prayer,* the thing
could not be complete without a sermon. <
The impulse could not be resisted, and 1
endeavoured to describe my views of the
subject, and the awful situation in which 1
saw myself. 1 warned them, and told them
truths of what 1 believed they will one day
be convinced. When 1 got through, which
1 believe was about one o’clock, I retired,
and some of the others also ; 1 do not know
but all did, for all left that room. 1 went
home, but rfot to sleep: my life and charac
ter passed in solemn review before me, aod
it was no pleasing sight. My doubts of
the truth of God’s word and the gospel of
Christ were all gone. *r I fully believed
they t.tic, end I also knew that I was
forever debarred the privilege of being a
partaker in the happiness and glory there
set forth—at least I thought so; the de
praved nature of my own heart was set be
fore me; all the warnings from my parents
and from other Christians were then re
membered ; all the warnings I bad receiv
ed from the various dispensations of God’s
providence by sickness, and narrow escapes
from death, seemed to speak as the voice
of God, saying, “ Because 1 have called and
ye have refused,” &c. Poverbs i. 25th
26th and 27th.
My day of mercy was gone by—O what
opportunities I had lost; but there was
nothing before me M but a certain fearful
looking for.of judgment, and fiery indigna
tion, which shall devour the adversaries.”
Pray 1 dared not, for every blessing had
been offered to me ami I had spurned it
from me. Thu 9 I passed a sleepless night;
in the morning it became necessary for me
to form some resolutions, as I was going
out into the world, and this thing would not
be kept secret: the question would be
asked me and what shall I say ? At that mo
ment I believe Satan lent me all his power
to make the desperate determination of
despair. I saw no prospect of mercy : die
I must; and pride said, drive all these
things from your mind, and if you must die,
do it like a man of courage ; drown all such
feelings in the bowl, and as you have lived
like a fool, die like a madman. According
ly 1 made the rash attempt, and went to
the same publick home where we had pas
sed the preceding evening. There 1 found
some of the same persons with whom that
evening was spent, and 1 endeavoured by
every means in my power to drive all re
flection from my mind. I endeavoured to
make the company believe that the trans
action was but the result of a momentary
impulse, aad that there was nothing on my
mind of more weight than common. 1
drank with them, and endeavoured to join
them in all their lightness and mirth ; but
in the midst of this career to death, con
science resumed its office, and its rebuke
was terrible—my resolution and strength
failed before it, and 1 was obliged to leave
the place with feelings of great horrour.
The atrocity of the attempt which I had
made to destroy myself, by trampling under
foot the spirit of grace, by despising re
proof, and by “ counting the blood of the
covenant an unholy’ thing,” was shewn to
me in its proper light, together with all its
unhappy consequences ; the just vengeance
of God hung over my devoted head; one
hour previous I might have found mercy,
now it was eternally too late. Still howev
er, when any one during the day asked me,
I told them I had nothing on my mind.
The Bible was now a consistent book—
consistent in my condemnation, 1 was alone
inconsistent; I wondered how Christians
could have suffered me to be going the
ui .rj rood, and yet never faithfeJJr varu
me of danger. But now “ tb* harvest was
past, tho J-J, and my soul
was”— lost. 1 felt in some little degree
what was the value of the soul, and en
deavoured in a feeble manner to warn oth
ers of their danger. It appeared to me
mercy could reach every being in a state
of probation hut myself.
1 did not doubt God’s power to save—but
it appeared to me that if any person in the
world was to be damned, 1 was that parson ;
none appeared so fit for it; none had sought
for it so carefully; none so richly deserved
it. 1 conversed with Christians; they told
of the boundless mercy and goodness of
God—of his willingness to save even to the
uttermost all that would come unto him;
but all was in vain with me; the
“ master of the house had risen and shut
too the door.” Thus 1 parsed comfortless
days and sleepless nights; I went to Chris
tians and confessed how I had felt towards
them, particularly those who in any meas
ures endeavoured to do their duty to their ;
fellow-men.—l had tried to blacken the
character of the Ministers ofChrist, by eve- i
ry means in my power. With some 1 have ]
had an opportunity lo converse, and have i
made satisfaction as far as acknowledgment i
would do it; toothers, particularly to Mr.
Nettleton and Mr. Maflitt, 1 have had no op
portunity to do it; if I hadl cortainly should >
have done it. And for fearl shall never see i
their faces in the flesh, 1 take this opportuni- I
ty, thus publickiy to dec'are, that the feel- t
* There was no one went to prayer, but one I
mocked an old man who made a singular prayer. !
ings of my heart towards them, and my ;
conduct and conversation respecting them, I
were in the spirit of the Prince of Dark- j
ness, and that the hatred which 1 had to- ,
wards them, was not for any evil they had ,
done, but because they bore some resetn- |
blance to him they professed to serve. |
“ The world loveth its own ;” and had they j
beeu of the world I should not have hated |
them. In this situation of mind 1 remained i
till Thursday evening, with the exception
of being obliged to own in the course of that
day that 1 had something on my mind, which
distressed me. On Thursday evening 1
went to meeting; but I was a stranger
there; no comfort was there for me ; 1
wished 1 was a Christian, but knew no way
to be one ; 1 did not know how to repent.
On Friday evening I went to the Confer
ence room to meeting—what for, 1 knew
not; I did not expect to get any thing which
would do me any good. 1 was past good ;
I was only waiting the execution of the just
sentence of an offended God :~Mr. Taylor
preaciitui these words, “ that every
mouth may be slopped, and all the world
may appear guilty before God ;” it was a
sermon 1 had heard all the week—but be
brought the subject to light iD a clearer
manner, shewing the complete glory and
beauty of the law of God, and the awful
nature of mau’s transgression, in a manner
which 1 cannot describe: 1 felt a guilty
rebel receiving the sentence of condemna
tion ; every eye was turned on me—and to
make my wretchedness complete, the con
gregation rose np and united in singing a
hymn : l could not rise, it was beyond my
power: the beauty of the worship of God,
the happiness of the saints, and all the en
joyment which I had irrecoverably lost,
came across my mind like a torrent; there
was a gulph fixed betwixt me and the right
eous, as broad as the distance between
heaven and hell;'it was impassable also ;
the presence of Christ when he met his
people was insufferable ; it seemed to me
if 1 could bave sunk to tbe bottomless pit, 1
should have found company more congenial
to my nature and disposition: in fine, 1 be
lieve I had a little idea how a sinner would
i feel in heaven without a new heart: morn
-1 ing enme, and with it came one new idea,
I that, as God had preserved my life through
tit* might have me rev
i in store even for such a rebel as me ; then
• 1 began to pray, not only’ to pray myself,
1 but I felt as if I wished every person who
t had any interest at the throne of grace
’ would use it in my behalf, and be earnest
■ also. One of the brethren prayed with
) me a number of times ; others I believe re
■ memhered me in their hearts, and carried
r tny case to Him who is able to help ; hut
: my heart was exceeding hard, full of unbe-
I lief and pride.
i On Saturday evening I went to visit Mr.
t Thatcher: I had harboured a great enmity
- against his people, and 1 confessed my feel
i ings to him and some of the biethren who
i were at his house, and he prayed with me ;
: I then left his house and went to a place
. where I had been in the habit of spending
I considerable time, in hopes to find some of
■ my old friends there, to tell them the awful
■ danger of tbt ir situation. I did find some
! of them, and I endeavoured to discharge
> the duty I had undertaken. After 1 had
described as far as 1 was able the terror of
! God’s wrath, I attempted to tell of a Sa
! viour’s love ; it was something I had not felt,
, but as I spoke of it, Ifelt it: tbe plan of sal
■ vation by a redeemer, the amazing love of
, God to a sinful world, was something be
vond description glorious: the children of
God know ivhat it is; they have felt what
E cannot describe, viz. the love of- Christ.
That nitjht was a night of joy and peace to
soul ; 1 knew on whom 1 had believed.
From that time to tbe present, I cannot sav
but I have at all times believed that he was
faithful who had called me, though my own
short coinings are such, and my heart is so
full of unbelief and prone to evil, that if his
mercy was not infinite, I should have no
hope ; but it is, and he has declared, “be
cause I live ye shall live also.”
These things I have stated because there
has been so many reports respecting my
case, (some made by those who merely mis
took from wrong information, and meant
well—some by those vvbo did not mean to
tell the truth themselves nor suffer it to be
told by others if they could help it.) that
the publick and particularly my Christian
brethren did not know what to depend up
on. Particulars I have not gone into, for i
I cannot do it on paper: but these are the t
outlines, and I commit this statement to tbe i
publick, with a solemn reference to t)ie day i
when God shall judge the secret of men’s ’
hearts by Jesus Christ, hoping my enemies i
will conduct themselves in such a manner j
as to be able to answer, for both their ac
tions and their motives, to him that judgeth ,
righteously ; that they and 1 may meet in I
peace at the right hand of God through the <
mercy of Jesu9 Christ is the sincere praver t
of A. B. GOLDSMITH. r
New-Haven, July 16, 1821. \
P. S. Thus, Mr. Editor, I have e.ndeav- j
oured to slate fairly and candidly the deal
ings of God with ny soul; the apology Ii
have made I think is sufficient; should any (
one think to the contrary, they will 1 hope i
forgive me; but before I leave the publick,
I wonldszy a word respecting Caps, Augur's I
Price, f n - °M
7 f $ 3,00 tn advance. >
account of the affair, which has so publick
iy been declared to be a falsehood , “ having
no foundation in truth,' 1 ’ and accompanied
with a threat of “ further investigation.” I
would inform whom it may concern, that
there wa9 an errour iD bis statement, that
the meeting was not got up as a mock con
ference ; neither did the main body of the
party consist of Infidels. But, to say that
there was not-Infidels there, is an assertion
I dare not risk ; one 1 know there was, a
“ real practical Infidel,” and others 1 believe
there were, for his practice met no opposi
tion from them, therefore taking into con
sideration the transactions of that night, and
the transactions of other nights an t days
which can be brought if a “ further investi
gation” should be thought necessary,l must
say that it is no slander to New-Haven to
say, that it contains in it “ real practical infi
dels —The other statements in Mr. Au
gur's Letter are true.
REV. MR. WARD’S LETTERS.
FROM THE CHRISTIAN WATCHMAN.
It will be remembered tbat the Rev. William
Ward, Missionary from India, in the last winter v
visited tbe American Churches for the purpose of
obtaining their assistance in the support of a liter
ary and theological institution at Seraiupore. Tt.ig
College, although perfectly free as a literary es
tablishment, is nevertheless principally designed
for the instruction of those native Christians, con
cerning whom there may be reason to believe that
they will become acceptable instructed and
preachers to their unenlightened countrymen.
Mr. Ward having obtained the pecuniary assis
tance which he solicited, on the 25th of March
last, embarked for Liverpool in the Hercules, on
his return to Serampore. On his passage he em
ployed himself in the composition of addresses to
his friends in Ts-gland and America, on the impor
tant objects of his mission, on the state us the hea
then in India, and on the general interests of th*
kingdom of Christ. Mr. Ward sailed from Lon
don for Serampore, May 28, in company with Ms.
Mack, Mrs. Marshman, and several others con
nected with the Serampore Mission.
To the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, Boston.
The Hercules, at sea, April , 27,1821.
My dear Brothey,
I am disposed to conclude, from the little
success of our mission for the first six years,
and from similar appearances in oilier mis
sions, that the Christian publick have been
hardly willing to allow time enough for the
•w'QuifU.tiuiJ us tl>u mjiuoito lang’tirrgjC*, for
tne characters of missionaries'to be known
and appreciated, and for the seed to take
root.
After we had been at Serampore for some
time,'l well recollect, that, in walking thro’
tbe streets, Mr. Marshman and myself would
say to one another, “ O, if we had but one
Hindoo brother, but one family in Seram
pore, into which we could enter, and con
verse on the things ofthe kingd- m of God !”
The seventh year was then closing, ami not
one native appeared on the side of Christ;
not one respecting whom ve could indulge
the least hope tbat be was under Christian
impressions. Those who had made warm
■ professions, had all forsaken our brethren
and fled.
■ About this time Mr. Thomas suggested
f the propriety of setting some time apart
I for prayer on this subject; and we began a
: service for prayer at seven o’clock on Tues
day morning, which has been continued now
I for twenty years.
This special acknowledgment of our
need of divine aid, and of our solicitude to
obtain it, bad not been long made, before
we wpre blessed in the conversion of Jvrish
nu. This person was a carpenter, and bad
a wife and several children. He had heard
Mr. Tbomas preach under a tree not far
from his house ; but bis attention had not
been awakened to the message, when he
fell from a tree and dislocated his arm.
Smarting with pain, he bethought himself
of the white man under the cotton tree, for
he recollected having* tio,rt (Koi tliie per
son was a surgeon. He immediately sent
for Mr. Thomas, who went and restored
the arm to its position. But Mr. Thomas
did not leave Krishnu till he had told him of
the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.
Krishnu was mucb affected. Mr. Thomas
daily renewed his visits, and daily preached
on Jesus and salvation to this poor man and
his family ; so that by the time the arm had
recovered its strength, Krishnu was so
much impressed, that he came himself for
instruction, and ultimately solicited baptism.
Here was the first fruits of Bengal.
From that time to the present the mission
has been making a gradual but steady prog
ress, while encountering many formidable
difficulties, and sustaining many severe con
flicts. It reckons at present tbe following
stations. In Bengal , Serampore, Calcutta,
Midnapore, Jessore. Chittagong, Cutwa,
Moorshadabad, and Dinagppore. In the up
per provinces , Monghyr, Digab, Cawnpore,
Allahabad, Benares, Delhi, Rajpootonab.
In the Islands of the Indian Ocean, Columba,
Batavia, and Sumatra. —Divine service is
conducted at these stations in the Bengalee, *
the Hindeost’hanee, the Hindee, the Bur
man, the Portuguese, the Malay, the Ja
vanese, the Cingalese, and the English lan
guages.
More than a thousand person* have been
initiated into a Christian profession by bap
tism, and more than six hundred of these
wore formerly idolaters or Mahometans.
About fifty of these Asiaticks and hea
thep converts are employed in superinten-
